Plainview police are warning local businesses to be cautious and diligent as the force is noticing a wave of counterfeit money slamming into Plainview. "We're seeing an influx of more counterfeit bills," said Plainview Police Chief Ken Coughlin just after visiting with a local convenience store manager who was stuck with a phony $20 bill.

"We've gotten six in just three day, and the banks are getting a bunch," added Plainview detective sergeant Stan Branam, who is working with the United States Secret Service to find the source of the bills.

"This is automatically a federal crime." Plainview police said the relatively good quality of the counterfeit are allowing the bills to enter the economy with no questions asked.

"The cuts are good, they have a good boarder, the paper texture is relatively good," said Branam as he inspected a recently turned in counterfeit bill. "But see, there is no color-changing ink."

Bank notes larger than a $5 bill use color-shifting ink to print the number showing the denomination in the lower right-hand corner. For genuine notes, the color will shift from copper to green or green to black. Branam said this clue is the easiest to detect in encountering a counterfeit bill.

"And if they don't have one, they probably don't have them all," Branam said as he raised the bill to the light.

All bills larger than $2 bill have a security thread running vertically through the bill. The thread has text with the bill's denomination and an image that is unique to that denomination.

"Not there," Branam said.

All bills larger than $2 also have watermarks that can be seen if held up to the light. For $10, $20, $50, and $100, the image matches the portrait. New $5 have a big numeral 5 as the watermark.

Branam said you can only see the watermark under a light. Some counterfeiters try to recreate the watermark, but a forgery watermark can be seen even if the bill is lying on a table.

What is throwing off unsuspecting merchants however, is the look and feel of the money. Bank notes are printed on special paper that is 75 percent cotton and 25 percent linen. Though these counterfeiters more than likely don't have those resources, their fake money has a solid look, size and weight.

A counterfeit pen is usually the biggest tool used by businesses to detect counterfeits. The pen contains an iodine solution that reacts with the starch in wood-based paper to create a black stain. When the solution is applied to the fiber-based paper used in real bills, no discoloration occurs.

The pen does nothing but detect bills printed on normal copier paper instead of the fine papers used by the U.S. Treasury.

Branam said the pens can be hindered.

For instance, pens used in fast food restaurants sometimes give false readings because of grease in the air.

As a precaution, Branam asked that businesses be diligent in checking the obvious clues of a counterfeit, as well.

The Plainview police department said so far these particular counterfeits have been seen in Plainview, Lubbock, Amarillo, Dallas and Albuquerque, N.M. Branam said in the past, he has seen criminals with a stack of counterfeits in one pocket and real money in the other in case of suspicion. The criminal usually makes small purchases with the fake money and pockets the real change. Hitting several spots with the counterfeits can add up to quite a haul. However, once the business deposits the money to the bank, the counterfeits are detected and turned in to the Secret Service and it is a loss for the businesses. If anyone detects they may have come across a counterfeit, Branam urged them to turn in the money.

"They need to bring it to the PD and turn it in. Don't pass it off, don't go to McDonald's or wherever. You're actually stealing from them," Branam said.

Anyone with information on crime in Plainview and Hale County may contact the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 293-8477 or 293-TIPS.